At one point the topic of their conversation turned to the status of women in the U.S. Elizabeth Stanton expressed her discontent with situation of women under the new democracy. The American Revolution had been fought less than seventy years ago to gain freedom from tyranny. Elizabeth Stanton argued that women during those time periods had taken equally great risks through the years when dissent meant death, and they had gained nothing at all. (pg1-2) Her friends agreed with her and the group decided to take action. This was certainly not the first group of people to realize women needed more rights, but it was the first group who planned to do something about it.
Two days after the tea the Elizabeth Stanton and her lady friends, Lucretia Mott among them, had decided on a course of action. An add they placed in the Seneca County Courier advertising "A convention to discuss the social, civil, and religious condition and rights of woman." (pg2) The Seneca Falls Convention took place on July 19 and 20, 1848 and a number of women, as well as men, from the Seneca falls area attended. The group that attended consisted of very patriotic women who shared the ideals of democracy and improving the new nation. Their mission was to help the U.S. keep its promise of giving every citizen freedom and equality, and the chance at a better life. .
At the convention a Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions was drafted echoing the words of the Declaration of Independence.(pg341) This document outlined the injustices women suffered as a result of having no political involvement. (pg1-4'sentiments)The obvious solution to this problem was women's' suffrage and the first individual to realize this was Elizabeth Stanton. Her argument was that women needed the right to vote because most of the injustices stemmed from having no representation in government. If women were able to elect people into office who shared their views they could work together with the government towards a common goal.
